This invention relates to irrigation and drainage ditches and more particularly to a device for removing weeds, grass, and other herbage from the walls of such ditches.
Irrigation and drainage ditches are usually created by a ditch digging apparatus which is towed behind a tractor or other farm vehicle. Such apparatus, commonly referred to as a ditcher, has cutting means which plow into the soil to form a V-shaped trough. Water is routed through such ditches to the crop fields in order to supply the crops vital moisture for growth. Transversely cut grooves or syphon tubes connect with such ditches in order to transfer water from the ditches into the fields. Between irrigations, weeds and grasses grow in the ditches, thereby diminishing the flow of water into the fields. Cleaning of the ditches is necessary in order to restore adequate water flow through the ditches.
It is common practice to clean such ditches by re-cutting the ditches with the ditcher. Alternatively, herbage-killing sprays and diesel fuel torches are employed. When the ditcher is used for cleaning weeds and herbage, it usually removes additional soil along with the weeds, thereby deepening the ditches. Repeated practice may interfere with efficient water flow to the crops. The use of sprays may have an adverse effect on crops. Furthermore, sprays and torch treatments are expensive techniques for weed control.
It is accordingly a primary object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for removing undesired herbage from irrigation ditches.
It is another object of the invention to provide an apparatus of the aforesaid nature which will not substantially alter the depth or shape of said ditches.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide apparatus of the aforesaid nature which is adjustably conformable to a variety of ditch wall angles.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a ditch cleaning apparatus which may be towed by a variety of vehicles and amenable to low cost manufacture.
These objects and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description.